The Emma Smith Adventures Series 6
by CeriseHood5050
Summary: After the death of Lucy, Emma adopts a new girl. Now the world is falling to pieces as humanity becomes immortal, and Emma's mother is fighting for her life during Miracle Day.
1. Becoming Mary in the new world

29th August 2013, and I'm in Lightdale. Honestly, I thought the Miracle would have come by now, or Mary. One of the two.

I close my diary before climbing into bed. One version of the Doctor, one of the early versions, is with my children, and I trust him to look out for them while I rest for a few minutes.

The next time I wake, it's morning, and I can smell cooking from the kitchen. Alarms begin ringing in my head, and I momentarily wonder if Mummy is burning the toast until I come to my senses. Mummy isn't here. She lives in Foxgrove. Then who's cooking? Throwing on my dressing gown, I race downstairs to find the Doctor- my Doctor- cooking breakfast. "Morning," she says. "I took over from three earlier, and it looked like you all needed the sleep, so I didn't wake you."  
"What time is it?"  
"Nine in the morning. Kids are already at school." I'm about to check for the post when the doorbell rings.

"Yeah, I'm coming," I say, but when I open the door, a baby carry case is sitting on the doorstep. "Not again," I groan. I notice that a letter is attached to it, so I read it.

Dear Emma Smith-White,

My name is Thomas Seymour, and I am begging you to look after my daughter, Mary. She will be two years old when she arrives at your door. She is also the daughter of the Dowager Queen, Catherine Parr.

I assume that Mary Seymour arrived on the 30th August 2013, hundreds of years after not only the death of her mother on the 5th September 1548, only a week after Mary was born, and my own execution. The Dowager Duchess of Suffolk sent her to you so that you can keep her safe. She has access to a vortex manipulator (don't ask me how or what it is), and so Mary will not have aged, and it will be her second birthday when you take her in.

There is danger coming for Mary in the form of vampire hunters. Protect my daughter. I promised my wife that I'll keep her safe, something I can no longer do. Please, Emma, I'm begging you.

Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron of Sudeley

Glancing at Mary, I try to figure out how the Dowager Duchess knew to send her to me. What's going on? "We need some baby food and clothes. I'll go to town. Can you look after Mary?"  
"Sure," the Doctor agrees. "I'll stay here for the weekend if you want me to." I check with Jessie if it's alright if I go out, and she agrees. Alistair is having a sleepover with a few mates over at Matt's, and Sky is having a girly weekend with Juliet. I'll join school soon, but they're in primary school, and I'll be back in secondary school, allowing myself a few more years to be a teenager. Now I have a toddler to look after. What am I going to do?

Mr Chandra is working in his garden when I go to talk to him. "Emma! How is everything going?"  
"Great, thanks. A toddler turned up on my doorstep, so I'm getting supplies."  
"Where does the toddler come from?"  
"It's Catherine Parr's daughter, and her father, Thomas Seymour, asked me to protect her. I'm still trying to work it out. It doesn't help that school will start soon." I'll be in Year 9, which is fine. Lightdale Secondary is meant to be the best school in the area. But, what if I can't be there for Mary when she needs me? Thomas mentioned the vampire hunters who are after Mary- what for, he didn't say.  
"Will you be able to attend school?"  
"I hope so, but if I do, the Doctor will have to stick around a bit more as I can't always be there for Mary. While I have prioritised my children in the past, we all agreed that we need a change of plan so we can all live our lives. I might have to get in a babysitter at times." I'm about to head on to town when the Doctor runs out.  
"Emma, you might want to check on Mary. I'll go into town for you."  
"Thank you, Doctor." I head inside to check on Mary, who is howling. Carefully, like I had done with Jessie, Alistair and Sky before her, I hold Mary against my body and gently begin bouncing her up and down, soothing the little girl.

Maybe Mary can go to nursery. It will help as my children and I have school. But if she falls ill, who can we rely on? As I think, Mary gently grasps my hair in her tiny hand. "That's right, Mary. Emma is here. Emma is here." I don't call myself Mummy, not this time. Mary deserves to know who she is. "Shall we switch on the news, find out what's going on in the world?" Mary coos in response. "Would you like that?"

"Not one death has been reported in the whole world," the news reporter says. "The survival of Oswald Danes is part of what is now called 'Miracle Day'. No fatalities are reported, and while humans still age, injure, they can't die."  
"This is massive," I say, grabbing my phone. "I'm getting your siblings over here. I need to call Clyde, Rani, Maria and Luke." Before I can, the Doctor returns with Jessie, Alistair and Sky.  
"Have you seen the news?" Sky asks before I can nod to the TV. I call Clyde and Rani, who are actually in the area, meeting their parents.

"Right, what's the problem?" Rani asks.  
"Miracle Day, as the news reporters are calling it," I say.  
"How come you still look seventeen?"  
"I think my ageing stopped for some time until I catch up. Anyway, that's not the problem."  
"So, what is?"  
"Why is no one dead the past twenty-four hours?" Clyde says.  
"That's the right question."  
"May I ask another?" I nod. "What is causing it?"  
"Brilliant! You, Clyde Langer, are a genius!" I call Luke, who is coming down from Oxford with Maria.

As we are talking, something moves out of the window. Instinctively, I grab Mary. "Her father said that the vampire hunters are after her, but he didn't say why."  
"Her parents must be searching the galaxy for her," Rani says.  
"No, her parents are Thomas Seymour and Catherine Parr. Mary Seymour was born on the 30th of August 1548. If I'm going to take another child on, I may need some help."  
"We're going to a university in London," Clyde says. "If you move to Foxgrove or the outskirts of London, we can easily reach you."  
"Let's do it," I agree. "I never wanted total independence anyway. I'm seventeen. Okay, fourteen. I'll go to school in the year I'm meant to be. I'll ask the Doctor if there's any way I can change my age to thirteen."

When I call my parents to explain the situation, they agree that I can return if I want to. There are enough rooms so we can move back in. Mary can sleep with me for the time being until she grows of age and can sleep with her older siblings. I forget about the figure at the window until Clyde brings it up at lunch. By that time, Luke and Maria are here, too.

"Who could that figure have been?"  
"It could have been a vampire hunter," Sky suggests. "They could have been looking for Mary!"  
"Yes, it was a vampire hunter," Alistair agrees. "We have to go. Pack the essentials, come on." We grab what belongings we own and pack them into the cars.  
"Go, go, go," Sky says. "We could lose them by the time we get to Foxgrove."

"Hi," Gita calls over the road. Oh, no. I forgot Gita lived over the road. "Hold up." I end up waiting for her, whereas I would have preferred to drive off. "Oh, you off somewhere?"  
"We have to go. Someone's after the baby I adopted, and I fear they want to do her harm."  
"Where are you going?"  
"It will be better if I don't say, in case they're listening. Will you be able to put the house on the market in case we can't come back? Say give it around, six months. We should know by then."  
"It will be a shame. I loved having you as a neighbour, Emma. You were kind to my Rani."  
"Emma, shouldn't we be going?" Luke asks.  
"Yes," I agree.  
"Stay safe," Gita says before crossing over the road again, entering her house. I climb into my car, driving off. Thankfully, I gained my driver's license in the early part of 2008. Those are the privileges you get when the leader of Child's Torchwood. At nearly fourteen, I'm an experienced driver.

As I navigate my way into Foxgrove, I spot Mum, walking along the pavement, carrying some shopping bags. I pull up and roll my window down. "Hi, Emma," Mum hurries over. "It's great to see you."  
"It's great to see you too, sorry for dropping in like this."  
"Don't worry about it. You're our daughter, you're allowed to drop in and see us. I'll see you back at home." I nod before driving off. Mummy greets us at the door and offers to hold Mary as we unpack the cars.

"How was the journey?" She asks.  
"It was quiet," I smile. "We need to work out why these 'vampire hunters' want Mary."  
"Is that what you called her?"  
"No, that was her name anyway. She was born in 1548."  
"That would explain it," Mum walks into the drive.  
"Are we grandparents again?"  
"That's right, Mum." Mum and Mummy both make a bit of a fuss with Mary while we get everything inside.

"What did you say about the vampire hunters, Emma?" We are all in the living room, and Mary is sitting on my lap.  
"The vampire hunters are looking for Mary. Her father, Thomas Seymour, told me to protect her at all costs. I've still got the letter." I hand it over, and Mum sniffs it.  
"It's genuine, Sarah. We need to take what the letter says at face value. But why doesn't he say why the vampire hunters want her?"  
"Maybe he doesn't know," I suggest. "He is the first baron of Sudeley, Catherine Parr's fourth husband. He might have not known anything other than the fact his daughter is endangered by the vampire hunters."  
"Is there a chance he might have known?"  
"He was imprisoned in the Tower, it's not like he could have easily have snuck that sort of information out, is it?" We hear a window smash as I finish talking.  
"Stay here," Mum says. She is about to head into the kitchen when a man pushes her back into the room. "Get out of my house."  
"I'm here for Mary Seymour. Once you tell me where she is, I'll go."  
"She-"

"She's not here," I interrupt. "We don't know anyone called Mary Seymour." He spots the letter, picks it up.  
"Am I right in assuming that you're Emma Smith-White?"  
"That's private. You have no right to be here, get out."  
"I will, once I have the girl."  
"I told you, she's not here." He turns to leave.

"Why are you interested in a girl who disappeared in 1550?" Sky asks. "After all, if she disappeared that long ago, she can't be here."  
"She is said to bring salvation to the human race, but if she's dead, then all is lost."  
"How is she meant to protect us?" I can see what Sky's doing- she's getting as much information as she can from the enemy without sounding suspicious. "A toddler can't protect humans, a dead toddler even less so."  
"You're right. A human toddler can't protect humans. However, if they are part alien, they can. Now, you can see my difficulty. Without knowledge of where Mary is or whether she's even alive, it will become impossible to protect humanity."  
"Why is Mary so important to you? Why her and not another alien hybrid?"

"Well, Sky, that's a good question." Wait, what? How did he know Sky's name? "As a vampire hunter, I'm naturally equipped with the ability to read minds, so I know that you, Emma, have Mary with you."  
"Why can't you use another hybrid? Why does it have to be Mary? What's so important about her?"  
"She's the daughter of a Dowager Queen and a traitor. Yet the Dowager Queen wasn't who she seemed to be, aren't I right, Emma?"  
"What?" I ask. "I have no idea what you're talking about."  
"Oh. Too soon. Well, you'll learn quickly enough, after the miracle ends. End the miracle, and you'll find out who Catherine Parr is." As the man leaves, Mary begins crying.

Immediately, I step into motherhood. "Did the big man scare you?" I coo. "It's okay, he's gone now." I want to know what he means about Catherine Parr not being, well, Catherine Parr. I also don't want to know. I might not like the answer.

What am I getting myself into by looking after Mary?

As soon as I think that someone knocks on the door. "Smith-Whites, open up!" A familiar voice calls. "Come on, Emma, I know you're in there! I'm here to help!" Passing Mary to Mum, I rush to the door, opening it.

Standing on the doorstep is Captain Jack Harkness. I throw my arms around him. "Did you really miss me that much? It must be the jawline. Once you see it, you can never get enough of it."  
"Stop it," I sniffle. How long has it been? Years. 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Four years.  
"Hey, Emma, it's okay. I'm not going away if you don't want me to."  
"UNCLE JACK!" Jessie, Alistair and Sky yell, running over to him.  
"Hey, kids!" He grins. "What's up?"  
"We've got a new little sister," Sky says. "You've got to meet her." They practically drag him into the house. I chuckle before shutting the door. Jack is already on the floor, playing with Mary.

A few minutes later, Jack pulls me into the kitchen. No one else is there. "How are you coping? Stupid question, sorry."  
"What?"  
"I heard about Lucy. But you seem to have got on with your life."  
"Lucy wouldn't want me to grieve." Jack looks at me.  
"You need to grieve. Bottling your emotions up isn't healthy for you. Heck, even adults need to cry."  
"I know."  
"You need to give yourself time. Lucy would want you to remember her, but she'd also want you to protect Mary. So, vampire hunters, huh?" Thankfully, he steers the conversation onto safer ground.  
"The one I met acted like such a bastard."  
"Language! But, yeah, they're all like that. But why Mary?"  
"He said when we stop the miracle, we'll find out. He also said that Catherine Parr wasn't who she claimed to be."  
"We'll find out."  
"So you'll stick around?"  
"I said I'd stick around if you want me to. So, do you want me here?"  
"Yeah." I bang my hands down on the table when the arguing begins in the next room. "Since you left, my life kept getting worse. My grandmother ate me, Jack. Then, I lost Lucy. I had to choose which woman I loved when I had three rivalling each other for my affections, and I decided on the Doctor because I thought I couldn't be Queen of England as it would be silly and I wouldn't know what to do, and I left Katheryn alone! I only came back because of my own stupidity!" The arguing stops. "I can't even make the right decision anymore."  
"That's not true, Emma."  
"Yes, it is. I've been selfless by coming back, but I've tried to hold it together ever since. That vampire hunter was the last straw. I want to reverse my decision."  
"You can't. If you change history-"  
"History already changed, you idiot! Katheryn Howard wasn't beheaded! She and Henry VIII divorced, and we don't know how much that changed."  
"It mustn't have changed much if we're still here. But, Emma, if you change too much, who knows what could happen?"

"I don't know what I want anymore."  
"If you don't know, how could I know?" Jack pulls me into a hug. "Everything will be all right, I promise." The phone begins ringing.  
"Hello, Smith-White residence," Mummy says. "Oh, excuse me. Emma!" I hurry through. "There's a Rex Matheson on the phone, he needs to speak with you."  
"Right, okay." I take the phone. "Hi, Rex."  
"Have you heard of the miracle?"  
"Yes, we have."  
"We need you and your team in the US, you might be able to figure something out. Just you, Maria, Luke, Clyde and Rani. Your kids can stay in the UK."  
"Rex-"  
"Emma, I'm serious. We need Child's Torchwood more than ever. This miracle, whatever it is, we need you to help us get through it. People are still getting sick, still burning, but not dying."  
"We'll make Child's Torchwood safehouses, get children to other planets if we have to."  
"That's the Emma I know! At least think about coming to America. We all need you. You have influence, you could take over Earth if you really wanted to, but you don't. You can stop the miracle with the right equipment."  
"We're going to need all of the children on board with this."  
"Right, you do what you need to do." Rex hangs up, and I gather Child's Torchwood together.

"We're going to set up all of the Child's Torchwood bases as safe houses. There are meant to be 300,000 people dying every day and 500,000 people born. As such, Earth will run out of food in four months. If we don't want society to collapse all over the world, we have to act now. Has anyone got any ideas?"  
"We can send a group of people to another planet to stop the population of Earth booming," Clyde suggests. "We have the resources for that."  
"We also have the problem with everyone in a Child's Torchwood who should be dead," Maria says. "Now, more than ever, we need to keep that secret. Sure, people know about the dinosaurs, but there's a lot of people they don't know are still alive. Maybe they should go."  
"You're right," I agree. "We've got to contact those bases and tell them what's going on. We have to do this, so Earth survives. Rani, contact those remaining in the cellars at Hampton Court, ask them to go to the North Atlantic to the Titanic and the Lusitania, then to the Tower of London, Petersborough, Windsor, Westminister and Sudeley. They'll know what it means."  
"On it," Rani turns her earpiece on to communicate.  
"Luke, Maria, I know it will be a pain, but find out everyone who works in Child's Torchwood. Those who don't have anywhere to go can join the exploration team." Maria and Luke open their computers and begin researching, with Sky on standby to help them. Jessie is searching the future, trying to find out when the miracle will end or if it ever will. Alistair is sitting on the sofa, with a laptop on the coffee table. I don't know what he's doing, and I don't really want to ask.

As I organise the team, Esther calls me. "Hi, Esther."  
"Rex is coming over to the UK," she tells me. "We need you in the US." She hangs up.  
"Right, everyone. You ready for relocation?"  
"Where are we going?" Sky asks.  
"We're going to the United States. Mum, Mummy, you have to stay here with Mary. I don't know when we'll come back." Mum nods. "Jessie, Alistair, Sky, you better stay here too."  
"What?" Jessie asks. "You really think we're going to stick around in the back end of beyond while you go off fighting this miracle? No way."  
"Jessie, please."  
"No, Jessie's right," Alistair says. "I know you're trying to protect us, Mummy, but you need us. We're coming with you."  
"No."  
"Mummy, we're coming," Sky says. Looking at their faces, I realise that this might be one of those times that I'll have to give in.

When Rex arrives, I'm still arguing with my children about them going to the US. "Hey, hey, hey," Rex says. "Jessie, Alistair, Sky, you three and Mary are the next generation. You'll grow up with the miracle if we can't stop it. One of you need to stay in the UK, the other two go to other places in the world and report us what's going on, even if it seems like the most trivial thing."  
"Uh," I say. "Who gives the orders around here?"  
"Sorry, Cardiff kid. So, Child's Torchwood, what should they do?"  
"You're right about us needing world coverage," I agree. "Mum, Mummy, I want you and Mary to stay here, monitor the news, websites, newspapers, whatever, and report back to us on everything, even if it seems trivial at the time. Jessie, Alistair, Sky, I'll arrange transportation for you to go to whatever country you like. Report back to us on what you discover." My children nod, thankful to be part of the loop. "Jack, if you have access to any weapons, what else have we got? I've got the Eye-5 2s but nothing else."  
"I cut my arm," Jack says.  
"Okay, I can't help but think there are more important things to contend with right now."  
"No, I cut my arm. Look at it, it's not healing."  
"Oh, my god!" I realise that Jack is mortal, while humanity is immortal. "Now what?" I hear sirens approach us.

"Ah, there comes my ride," Rex says. I wonder if he's called an ambulance so that he can get seen to, only for the police to arrive and surround us. But it's not just the police- Johnson, Frobisher, Spears and Lois are there.  
"Great to see you again, Emma," Johnson says.  
"What's going on?" I ask.  
"I'm sorry. Rex's in charge now." She nods to Rex.  
"You can't arrest us, you're American, and Child's Torchwood. You know that you're loyal to me."  
"I hate to bust up your sweet little tea party, but this isn't an arrest, this is a rendition. On behalf of the CIA under the 456 Amendments to US code 3184, I'm extraditing this Child's Torchwood team to the United States of America. Now, get me out of here! Take me home." As Rex walks away, the police move forward, pointing their guns at us. Mum passes Mary over to me so I can hold her. After all, holding a gun to the police won't help. Not now.


	2. Rendition

We all arrive at Heathrow Airport in handcuffs. Johnson, thankfully, is taking care of Mary. A CIA agent is waiting for Rex, who seems annoyed by this. "They can't do this," Sky says. "We're British citizens on British soil! Who does Rex think he is?"  
"I almost regret employing him," I agree. Rex takes Jack's vortex manipulator and leaves us alone. "How's that cut on your arm, Jack?"  
"I'll survive. I'm mortal, not dying. Well, I guess I'm dying slowly."  
"Come on, let's get them," Rex says. "Take the parents back to Foxgrove."  
"Hey!" Clyde yells as the police grab us.  
"I'm arresting Child's Torchwood." I break my handcuffs, grab my gun and aim it at Rex. "What are you gonna do, shoot me? I guess you forgot we're all immortal now."  
"I can shoot you where you'll become brain-dead."  
"The parents are secret members!" Luke yells as the police disarm me, grab me and drag me towards the plane.  
"Let my children come!"  
"And you know what? The parents can take the baby. Jessie, Alistair, Sky, get out into the world. There is no place for you in America."  
"I'M SO GOING TO EAT YOU!"  
"Emma, behave!" Jack tells me off as I continue fighting the police. There's no way I'm going to behave if Rex is putting himself in charge. I'd rather be anywhere else than here.

Jack looks around the plane before looking at me. "They spent a fine dollar on us," he says. "Cleared the plane out for all the prisoners." Rex walks over to us before I can reply.

"What the hell is this thing, huh?" Rex holds up Jack's vortex manipulator. "All it does is go bleep."  
"So give it back to me," Jack says.  
"Yeah, I'm sure you'd like that. What does it do, measure how mortal you are?"  
"Still don't believe me?"  
"Please!"  
"The whole world can't die, but I'm the one who's being ridiculous."  
"Tell me then, fly boy," I say. "What happens to us when we get to America?"  
"You'll be interrogated." I snarl.  
"Emma," Jack says. "Leave it." Rex then explains that we are connected to the miracle, and now someone wants to kill Jack, so we need to work out the connection, then solve the miracle. "So is anyone investigating morphic fields?"  
"On the what fields?"  
"Isn't it something like humanity is connected?" I ask. "For example, homo sapiens appearing on Earth at the same time, using weapons, that sort of thing?"  
"Exactly," Jack says. "It's the same with the miracle. It happened at the same time." Jack's vortex manipulator bleeps again. "By the way, your sodium's low."  
"My what?" Rex asks.  
"That bleeping. It's found low sodium levels in your blood."  
"You need salt," Luke says. Rex smirks.  
"I'll leave you lot to it." He sits back down in his seat.

When Jack asks for something to drink, the flight attendant says that he's not supposed to talk to us, when another CIA agent steps in, telling him that we can have water, even though Jack asks for coke, and she supervises with the drinks. A few minutes later, Jack says he's going to throw up, and he looks pretty ill, too. I sniff the air, trying to find anything off when I realise that it's something he drank. I understand that she's poisoned him and grab her bag, looking through it and seeing the poison she used. Rex calls a doctor he knows in America, and she gets to work with other people she's in a meeting with to find a cure for arsenic poisoning using things you can find on a plane. In a hurry, we locate everything that we need with the knowledge that we're running out of time.

As soon as we have a needle full of everything we gathered to cure Jack, we go back. The woman who poisoned him kicks the needle away, and we lose it. The two flight attendants, Danny and Greta, search for it. Slowly, I stand up. "You'll wish you haven't done that," I snarl. "That was your last chance."  
"Yeah? What are you going to do about it? If you're the best England's got to offer, then God help you."  
"I'm half-alien." I punch her right in the face. Truth to be told, I'm in the right mood to eat her, but that's bad manners, and I don't want to ruin the plane. Like a good girl, I sit down, play the perfect part. Don't kill anyone.

When we land, everyone is alive. Rex arrests the woman who poisoned Jack. I look among the security who have come, all of them men. As we walk to a secure van, Rex's phone rings, and he answers it. As soon as he's off, he begins speaking. "Hey, you know, I just remembered there's one final piece of legislation needed to make this a full and proper rendition. According to recent amendments to US code section 3184 and section 3185 in transferring prisoners from airside to landside, the law clearly states that once they touch down on American soil, they have free and easy access to one essential thing."  
"And what's that?" I ask.  
"Bullshit." Rex punches one of the security men, and we all follow suit, making a quick get-away. "This way. Esther has a car we can use." I nod, and we follow Rex outside. Esther and a Dr Juarez meet us. Dr Juarez agrees to get us to a safe place as we don't have a second car, but that is it. I climb into the blue mini with Rex, Esther and Luke while Maria, Clyde, Rani and Jack are with Dr Juarez.

As Esther pulls away, leading the way, she stops in shock. The woman who attacked us, Lyn, according to Esther, has her neck snapped, walking backwards and stares right at us. "Just drive, drive." Rex has his phone out with a link to Vera so she can follow us.  
"Was that Lyn?" Esther asks. "What's going on?"  
"Welcome to Child's Torchwood," I say.


	3. Dead of Night and Escape to LA

Rex, Luke and Jack are out on a mission to find out who set up Rex and Esther within the CIA, and their first thought is Friedkin. Meanwhile, I'm doing some shopping to try and get some supplies. Esther told me her size before I left so I can get some clean clothes for everyone. Thankfully, Jack lets me use his card, saying that it's been gathering interest since 1906, so there's no way I'll clear him out.

As I head back, I spot a new march on the street. I pull a teenage girl aside, asking if I can talk to her about it. She pulls her mask off, to reveal…

"Lucy?"  
"Mummy!" Lucy pulls me into a hug.  
"No, wait a minute! Last time I saw you, you were going to imprison the Trickster! What happened?"  
"The void was shutting down, destroying the Trickster. The Shopkeeper said that I can choose whether to go home or go to Heaven. I saw how Earth was struggling and decided that I needed to be here." She helps me gather supplies, saying that the march is called 'The Soulless' as apparently immortality robs mankind of their souls. We enter the safe flat, and I hand new mobiles out for everyone, including for Lucy. "Everybody is panic buying," I say when we get on to the food. "So, I had to go to the petrol station, and all they had was crisps."  
"Oh, I think you meant gas station and chips," Esther corrects me. "Crisps are called chips over here."  
"Thank you, Miss Translation."  
"It's mental out there," Lucy groans. "That cult on the street call themselves 'The Soulless'. Apparently, immortality robs mankind of their souls."  
"It turns out Friedkin was telling the truth," Esther says. "His handset was only ever contacted by one number. I traced it, but it hits a vine."  
"What's a vine?" Clyde asks. Before Luke can even open his mouth, Rex speaks up, saying that it's when a number branches out, so you find more numbers, so the caller can't be traced. We all stare at him.  
"What?"  
"You need to go to a hospital," Rani says.  
"I can do first aid if it's needed," Luke sniffs. "He can keep working."  
"Are you making this about our family?" I ask. Rex mentions Oswald Danes, and Lucy looks very worried.

"Lucy? What the hell are you doing here?" Jack asks.  
"The void was closing, so I chose to come back. Anyway, Oswald Danes' a convicted paedophile and murderer, sentenced to death on miracle day. We should investigate anyone making a profit out of miracle day." Lucy begins adding a few numbers into her new phone.  
"Who's numbers are you adding?" Rex asks.  
"My siblings'."  
"What the hell is the matter with you?!" Rex explodes. Lucy jumps up, hiding in the corner. Immediately, I stand up. Lucy always hated it when people shouted at her. "People will monitor their calls."  
"Calm the fuck down!" I snarl.  
"If you want to survive, you have to learn to not explode in the faces of Emma's children," Jack says. "You're a member of Child's Torchwood whether you like it or not." I notice how Rex seems so heartless. How the hell did I let insensitive people join Child's Torchwood?

Jack explains the theory he had about the miracle, how it seems to be a morphic field suspending the human race. Now, he thinks it's something else as the human race seems more alive now than it has ever been. A search on morphic fields gets ten million results, so Esther says she'll go through them all. "Friedkin cockblocked the ATF," Esther goes on to explain that the ATF is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and that they asked about a warehouse in Washington, but Friedkin forwarded the request to ancillary three times- a guaranteed way to lose something in the system, a paper chase. "If he tried to stop people from seeing the warehouse, he might have been paid to do it," Esther points out.  
"Great thinking," I grin. "Who's ready for a mission." Lucy and Esther nod. Jack agrees. The warehouse in question is at 3rd and Boston, south-west. Rex was about to take command at one point, but I stop him. "Who's in charge here?"  
"Sorry, Emma. So what should we do?"  
"We need to steal a new car."

While Jack, Esther, Rex, Maria and Luke go to steal a few new cars, Rani, Clyde, Lucy and I stay at the flat. Maria drives back with one of them, while the others go to the warehouse. "You okay?" I ask them. Maria nods. "I know it's hard on you, but we've got through worse. If we stick together, we can do this." The others nod, smiling. "Now, let's see what information we can get with Jessie, Alistair and Sky." I get a video call through, and they are over-excited. They saw Lucy- or, at least, Jessie did. I ask them about the miracle, but none of them has anything. When Jack comes back, he says that they found a warehouse full of painkillers, so Phicorp knew that the miracle was happening. Nearly everyone in Washington gets to work, finding out what they can. I listen to Jessie, Alistair, and Sky, who have some news.  
"Nana is ill, very ill," Jessie says.  
"Well, it's the miracle now, she can't die," Lucy says.  
"That's the problem," Alistair interrupts. "They'll introduce the Categories soon, Jessie has seen it. As such, Nana will be classified as Category One. Humans still burn, that's what we know. That's what Phicorp are going to do. Category Ones will be burnt alive."  
"Shit," I say. "SHIT! There must be something we can do to stop the miracle!"  
"Humanity became immortal, right?" Sky asks. "There must be something to make it mortal again. Yet, if we do it, Nana will die."  
"What would Mum do?"  
"Runoff," Jessie says. "When someone she loves dies, she can't face it anymore. Nana has cancer. If Ruby changes her, Nana won't suffer. Female Human-Qetesh hybrids can do it, too. You can change her if you come back."  
"Do you need me back?" I notice that Jessie and Sky are already crying. Alistair is blinking back tears. He nods silently. "Okay, I'll see what I can do. Tell Mum and Mummy I'll come as soon as I can." They nod, and Jessie disconnects the call.

"Family problems?" Luke asks when he and Esther return. I explain what's going on. "You need to go back home. Mum and Mummy need you."  
"Can I come with you?" Lucy asks. I nod, smiling.  
"We won't leave for a couple of weeks yet," I say. "Plenty of time to book a flight."

When Jack and Rex turn up, we're experimenting with the Eye-5 2s that I was able to smuggle into the country. Rex wants to go on the mission, but Lucy says that she wants to. "Will you be okay?" I ask, worried.  
"Trust me, Mummy. I've been in worse."

We let Lucy go with the Eye-5 2s so we can send her messages as she infiltrates Jilly Kitzinger's office. I want to ask Rex how he managed to talk Dr Juarez into it, and he says it's not strictly a professional relationship. While Lucy is on the mission, she spots Oswald Danes at Phicorp. Jack wants Lucy to follow him, but I say no. We have to stay on the task. Lucy heads into Kitzenger's office as Vera keeps the line open- the meeting she's at is a presentation, and Phicorp is cashing in on the miracle. At some point, Jack disappears. Lucy finds Miss Kitzenger's office and begins downloading all of the files on her computer, whether they are essential or not.  
"Jilly just left," Vera says. I type a message to Lucy. _Danger. Kitzinger. _Lucy hides just as Jilly enters the room.  
"Call her," Rex says. "Call Jilly Kitzinger," Vera calls her, and we're safe. Lucy unplugs the memory stick and leaves the room.  
"Great work, Lucy!" Rex says. A phone begins vibrating. "Are you going to get that?"  
"It's not mine," Esther says. I grab the phone we got from Friedkin.

"Hello?" I ask. The person on the other side of the line remains silent. Esther is tracking the caller. "Who's there? Who are you? Who am I talking to? Who is this?" The caller disconnects. Esther sighs, saying she found nothing.  
"They could have traced that handset," Maria says.  
"I know. Pack the computers, get them into the car, go, go, go!"  
"Why are you smiling?" Luke asks.  
"I think we made them worried!"

We pick up both Lucy and Jack before we head over to our next base. Where that is, we don't know. "Emma, you better go back to London, see if your kids found anything," Jack says. "You can take Lucy with you." When we arrive in California, I book a flight back to London that leaves in a couple of hours. Rex drops Lucy and me at the airport.

When we get back to Foxgrove, I tell Lucy to go and find her siblings while I climb the stairs before knocking on the door to Mummy's room. Mum opens the door, letting me in. Inside, it's twilight. Mum's drawn the curtains and moved the bed to the corner, creating more space in the room. Lying on the bed, almost asleep, is Mummy. "Hello, Mummy," I whisper, sitting beside her.  
"It's good to see you, Emma." Mr White is sitting on the bedside table close to her. "Mr White predicted that I have three weeks left. You and Ruby have one week to decide if you want to change me."  
"You're taking this so matter-of-factly."  
"It's because I'm confident one of you will change me." Soon after, both Mum and I leave the room, not only to let Mummy rest but also to talk about what she said.

"I don't think I can change her," Mum says. "I'm worried I'd kill her. You have to do it. Emma, you don't even have your hunger, you're the perfect candidate." I shake my head. "Emma, please!"  
"I don't know if I can, and I do have my hunger. I had to leave my children with neighbours so I could hunt. Besides, Mummy trusts you. You should change her."  
"But we only have a week to choose."  
"Mr White says that Mummy has three weeks left. Has he forgotten about the miracle? Could we change her after that week?"  
"I'll ask." Mum re-enters the room as I call my fiancée. Instead, I get her eleventh reincarnation- if you don't count the war doctor.

"Hello, Emma. How's everything going?"  
"Mr White says that Mummy has three weeks left to live." I slam my bedroom door shut.  
"What about the miracle?"  
"Mum's checking him with that."  
"Right. Have you found out who Catherine Parr is? These vampire hunters, wanting your child, it's disgusting."  
"No, I haven't. I agree with you about the vampire hunters, though. Do you know what will happen to Mummy?"  
"No, I regenerate at Christmas. You'll have to talk to my next self. I'll pass you over." He hangs up.

"Hey, Emma," another voice says.  
"Hi, Doctor."  
"So, where were we? Oh, yes, you were asking about Sarah Jane."  
"Does she survive after the miracle?"  
"I don't know if I can tell you about that." Mum knocks on the door, and I say goodbye to the Doctor before hanging up.  
"Great news, we can change Sarah as long as the miracle is in progress."  
"Great, that should give you enough time for you to prepare yourself."

As soon as Mum is comfortable, I book a flight to Los Angeles. They need me back there. My children ask if they can come too, and I reluctantly agree. When I get back, we hear that Mum is freaking out a little and is bringing Mummy to the US so she too can help out.

Now, what are we going to do? Where we are currently based only has one room!


	4. The Categories of Life and Middle Men

Now we have moved into somewhere that has more than two rooms and a bathroom, everyone starts acting a little more civil to each other. Rex isn't annoying everyone. Jack isn't trying to flirt with everyone who is at legal age- now he's giving me a strange look as to why I'm sniggering. I won't say why I am, so he'll give me this blank look and get back to whatever he was doing.

As we unpack a Chinese, Rex gets a call from Vera. "They've done it now," Jessie says. "They've finalised the categories of life. The government has taken control of life and death."  
I screech some words I would not want to repeat, banging on the table. "Do you have any idea on how messed up all of the governments are acting right now? They are so-"  
"Emma, stop!" Jack yells. "If you don't stop, someone could get hurt. We can't afford to have that." I yank the front door open. "Where do you think you're going?"  
"Well, where do you think I'm going?"  
"We know you're not going to do it, if that's what you're thinking," Esther says. I have told Esther a day or so ago about having to hunt when I get stressed or angry.  
"You know me too well."  
"The problem is you're too human."  
"Well, according to my brother, I'm a bit too alien."  
"Oh, yeah?" Esther folds her arms, sitting back in her chair. "Other than being a teenager who's pushing the boundaries, what else are you up to, sneaky Emma?"  
"I'm not sneaky."  
"Well, your response to Jack's question sounded a bit sneaky. What are you up to?"  
"I want to break into one of the overflow camps."

"We're working on it," Jack says. "We can assign you as a doctor, say you have all of the qualifications."  
"And if I went to university, I would!"  
"Do you have a university back at Lightdale?"  
"A private university, yes, but I'm putting my work first, and I'm meant to be in secondary school right now!"  
"Can you apply for the private uni now?"  
"I can, but I won't be able to get in until next year, and my A levels don't match up. If I want to be a doctor, I would have needed to do biology and chemistry, neither of which I did!"  
"Can you study in the meantime, pass your a-levels?" I nod. "There we go." Esther goes outside. After a few minutes, I join her on the beach.

"Do you think I'm useless?" She asks.  
"No, not at all," I say. "I think you're new to all of this, as we all are. We walk back to our base when we spot Vera. She says that she was lucky to get a flight as everyone is attending the miracle rally. I'm about to talk when my parents take me to one side.  
"The Doctor wants to talk to you," Mum says. I nod and walk onto the beach.

The eleventh doctor is standing there. "I needed someone to talk to," he says when I stand beside him. "I'm going to regenerate at Christmas, but you must know that." I nod.  
"Which one is next?"  
"According to a future face, not the next one, but the one after, you don't like him so much, his character is too dark."  
"Your previous versions will come and visit, won't they?"  
"Of course. Anyway, I'm distracting you. You need to get into the overflow camp."  
"Do I have to?"  
"You were rearing to go earlier. Why have you changed your mind?"

"I don't want to go into the overflow camps. I want to overthrow governments that are putting the overflow camps into action, which also means overthrowing Phicorp."

"What are the categories?"  
"The categories now give a definition for life and death," I explain. "Category 3 is the ordinary people, those who are without infection or disease. Category 2 are those with an illness or infection that will persist but not kill, and Category 1 is those who either would have ordinarily died or have no brain function. At some point, there might be a category for the criminals."  
"You're right, criminals will become a category, Category 0."  
"And the modules? What are they?" I notice an ambulance outside the place we are staying in.

"Where are you taking her?" Mum demands.  
"Your civil partner is category 2. All people classified as category 1 or 2 need to go to the overflow camps." I run over to the ambulance, where they are loading Mummy onto a stretcher.  
"WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TAKING MY MOTHER?!" I rush at the doctors.  
"Your mother is category 2, so we're taking her to the overflow camp at San Pedro."  
"You can't do that, don't you know who I am?"  
"I don't care if you're the Queen of England, we're taking her." I push the doctor away and try to get the stretcher out. "What do you think you're doing?"  
"We can look after her here, now leave us alone."  
"I can't do that." She pulls a gun out on me. I yank mine out, pulling the trigger.  
"You don't want to mess with me. If you do, I'll make you wish you were never born." We are now at a stalemate. If they try to take Mummy away, I will shoot. Yet if they shoot me…

"Take the ambulance away." She shuts the door. I open fire, and the doctor falls to the ground. I yank the ambulance door open, pulling the stretcher out, pulling Mummy to safety.  
"Are you all right?" Mummy nods, panting. The other doctor climbs out, loading the category 1 doctor into the ambulance. "Don't even think about coming back for her, or do you want the same to happen to you?" The doctor climbs into the driver's seat before driving off.  
"Scary," the Doctor says. "Really, Emma, I wouldn't want to get onto your bad side."  
"Everyone says that." We help Mummy upstairs and onto the sofa, agreeing that we won't let Mummy go until we know what the overflow camps are, and more importantly, what the modules are used for.

As dusk settles, I call Rex. "Emma?" He asks.  
"Yeah, it's me."  
"I've got Esther, we're coming back with Child's Torchwood."  
"What about Vera? What happened to her?"  
"The modules, they're ovens. They're designed to kill. They start with the Cat 1s, those who can't protest, but it can go on to anyone that governments don't like. They killed Vera." I grasp my phone tightly, feeling it crumble to dust. Now I want to do things my way, and to hell with anyone who stands in my way.

I begin making preparations to overthrow all of the governments who agreed to the concentration camps. "Emma, what are you doing?" The Doctor asks. Mummy sits up.  
"To hell with the governments," I say. "They're bloody dictators, just as evil as Hitler or Stalin. No, worse. Much worse."  
"What are you talking about? Emma? Please, talk to me. I can't help you unless you explain what's going on."  
"Overflow Camps, why couldn't they use concentration camps? Oh, right, of course. They still want us to believe that the Western world is still liberal! That's the problem! It's those with the power, they have no idea what goes on here! They aren't the ones pulling the switch, watching innocent people getting burned alive! That's what the modules are, they're bloody ovens!"  
"Thank god your kids aren't here."  
"Seriously, that's what you're worried about here, Doctor? I'm worried about how to take corrupt governments down to stop innocent people from dying, and here you are, concerned about my bad mouth. I can't help but feel that we've got more pressing concerns right now."  
"Don't lose your head, Emma. If you go down this path, I might not be able to call you back."  
"I'll be fine, it's those millions of people I worry about."  
"What's the plan?"  
"What?"  
"You're a fool thinking I'll let you do this alone." I look at Jack, then Mum and Mummy, before looking back at the Doctor.  
"Right, we're overthrowing the governments in the western world, they're becoming too much like a dictatorship as they have a definition for life and death. They built concentration camps in our names, and we have to say no."

Rex, Esther, Maria, Clyde, Rani, Jessie, Alistair and Sky walk in. "Vera's dead," Rex says. "They burn the Cat 1s."  
"Yeah, we heard," Jack says.  
"We've got this footage." He passes Jack the camera as Esther walks into the bathroom, and Jessie catches us up with the situation. Vera's dead. The guy running the San Pedro overflow camp is category 1. Rex, Esther and the others only just got out alive. Esther walks back through.  
"What did we miss?" She asks.  
"You missed Emma kill a doctor, blow up when she realised what the modules are and vow to overthrow all of the Western world governments," the Doctor says. Luke grins.  
"She nearly did it once," he says.  
"I think Emma's serious this time."  
"Definitely," I say.

"Let's get the footage out first," Rex says. "After that, we can decide what to do." But when we get the footage out, the public blows up, the government stays silent. "They're pausing them."  
"We need to up our game," I decide. "The government isn't changing its mind, so we must change our game."  
"I hoped you were kidding about overthrowing the government."  
"Emma doesn't kid about something like that," Maria says. I get a call on my mobile.

"We have your child," a woman says. "Bring us Jack Harkness."


	5. Immortal Sins and End of the Road

I go into the bathroom and put the lenses in. "Jack, can you come with me?" I ask. "I need to show you something."  
"Sure." We go to the car, and I use a laser on him to knock my boss out. Tying him up with rope, I think about my little girl. Mary must be so scared. I climb into the driver's seat and drive away.

After some time, Jack wakes up. "What? Emma, what are you doing?"  
"They've got my daughter," I say. "I'm wearing the lenses, that's how I know. They said that if I brought you, they would let them go unharmed." Jack tries moving. "Don't try undoing those knots, they're very tight."  
"And my feet. YOU TIED MY FEET?! I want to talk to the lenses. Look at me so I can talk to them." I look in the rearview mirror. "You've got me, hurray. Emma's going through a lot. Let her go home, and I'll come to you myself." _Emma needs to come, too if she wants to see her daughter again. _  
"They say that I have to come too if I want to see Mary again. Now, think, Jack. What did you do to make them want you?"  
"I don't know. Why do you want me?" _He's connected to the miracle. We need to talk to him to work out what's going on. _  
"They say you're connected to the miracle, and they want to talk to you, work out what's going on."  
"We don't know, so we're in the same position as you." The cursor is still there. Maybe they're thinking about it. "Do you have a gun, Emma? You can smuggle it back to me."  
"I had to leave it behind." Someone begins typing. _I'm looking after Mary- and nicked the laptop. The other four aren't so impressed. _I chuckle. "One of them was looking after Mary and nicked the laptop. There's six there if you include Mary." Jack laughs.  
"So, why did you nick the laptop?" _I wanted to talk. Mary is safe. You'll meet her at the destination. _  
"They wanted to say that Mary's safe and we'll meet her at the destination."  
"Thank God!" We smile before continuing the drive in silence.

When we get to the destination, I stop the car and untie Jack. "It's been a long time coming," Jack says. "All these years. Although I never thought that my youngest employee would turn me in. I guess I can't call you my employee anymore, huh? Would you prefer friend?"  
"I like friend. Now, what are you thinking about?" We can see a car driving towards us.  
"When I first travelled back in time, I was at the Tudor court. I met you when you were serving Anne of Cleves. I saw you and Katheryn courting together before your grandmother replaced her." Oh, Katheryn. How could I have left her behind? It wasn't fair on her. "Now, every day, I see that look in your eyes." I open my mouth. "Don't deny it, Emma. You love both Katheryn and the Doctor, but you left Katheryn behind. It's time to move on."  
"What if I don't want to?" The car pulls up in front of us. Two bodyguards climb out, followed by five women.

The realisation of who the women are dawn on me when I recognise two of them. One of them is Anne of Cleves. The other has long dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and is holding Mary. She's the first one to join Jack and I. "Here we go," Katheryn says, putting Mary in my arms. "Mother and daughter back together."  
"Katheryn?" Katheryn smiles at me, nodding. She's made it. My eyes begin stinging as tears pool into them. I try blinking them back, but it doesn't work. Gently, Katheryn places an arm around me, allowing me to cry for a while. Katheryn introduces me to the rest of Henry's wives. Anne Boleyn looks worried. There is a red light on her, the bodyguards, Catherine of Aragon, Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves. "What?" A gun fires.  
"What the hell?" Katheryn asks. Mary begins crying. The bodyguards put their guns down, and everyone puts their hands up. Jack and I grab the guns while Katheryn holds Mary. My friends, family and fiancé pull the van up and make sure we're all okay. The Doctor aims his sonic at Katheryn. "What are you going to do, assemble a cabinet at me?"  
"It's sonic."  
"Doctor, leave her alone," I say, taking Mary out of Katheryn's arms.

"This doesn't change anything, Emma," Anne Boleyn says. "You'll want to come with us. We know the man who was there when the miracle began."  
"Who?"  
"Queen Mary the first of England."

We drive up to a grand house. "When Henry VIII died, he named Edward his heir," Jane explains. "Then Mary, then Elizabeth. Mary retired from royal life in 1558, but she's still alive. As Henry VIII's remaining wives, as Catherine Parr doesn't know who she is yet, have promised to protect Henry's children as long as they live." Esther asks to stay outside, so she has a relay to Los Angeles about what's going on. Jane agrees, so Esther stays in the car while the rest of us go inside.

Jack realises now he knows where the miracle began. "Back in Tudor times, when Mary was ruling, she had me executed over and over again. Three men witnessed my resurrection, and they made a pact. It took them from Tudor times to now, these three families. What are their names?"  
"Ablemarch, Costerdane and Frines. We intercepted a message from them a decade ago, saying they found the Blessing."  
"They made the world immortal," the Doctor says.

The CIA storm in, with Friedkin saying that we violated the Miracle Security Act. I fold my arms, angry. "You've got some nerve, storming in here." I open my phone. "Everyone, this is Emma Victoria Smith-White. The fake CIA are arresting us." A man walks in, saying his name is Shapiro, and that he's here to sort everything out. The fake CIA are arrested. Mr Shapiro begins by almost shaming everyone in some shape or form, and I say that we have the names of the people who caused the miracle. "Child's Torchwood is going to work for the CIA?"  
"I think the CIA can work for Child's Torchwood if you're lucky."  
"Emma, did we just join the CIA?" Luke asks.  
"I think we did." We both chuckle at the thought of it. As we are talking, a vehicle explodes, taking Friedkin along with it.

Then, Mary Tudor dies as Catherine of Aragon says goodbye to her daughter. As she was there, Catherine is arrested. Katheryn and I sit together in the room with the Doctor. "What now?" He asks. "The whole world is still the same, only without Mary."  
"She had a null field, which made her immortal before the miracle," Katheryn considers. "Maybe when the miracle came, the null field made Mary mortal."  
"That's brilliant. What's your name?"  
"Katheryn Howard, but you can call me Kitty."  
"Henry VIII's wife? You fell in love with Emma?" Kitty nods. "Well, I'm happy for you."  
"You know what that means, right?" I ask. The Doctor nods.  
"At some point, you'll have to choose."  
"But I'm engaged to you, Doctor!"  
"You can have a quiet life with Kitty, live the lifestyle you want." I'm already living the life I want. I love the Doctor. While Kitty was a friend during my time of need, the Doctor… there's no way I can describe my relationship with them. "You don't need me, an old fool hanging around the place."  
"But I do need you. Ever since I was six, you were there. There were so many times that I needed you, and I still need you. Kitty, I know that what I'm about to say might hurt you, but I only see you as a friend."  
"I get it," Kitty says. "I think it's time we both moved on, found new lives for ourselves." I nod.  
"Or in my case, going back to my old life. What do you say, Doctor? Are you ready for us to move forward together?" The Doctor nods, taking my hand.

Esther comes back in and notices the platform. She says that they thought Mary's body did something, but maybe it's the floor. We rip the platform from the ground to find a tile underneath. "This is wrong," the Doctor says. "The human race should not have this technology."  
"What do we do, Dad?" Sky asks, walking into the room with my children and Luke.  
"We need to take this," he picks up part of the tile, the alpha plate, and puts it in his pocket, "which makes the rest of this useless, allowing the CIA to use it as they like. Now, we have to get out of the country."  
"You can steal a car," Kitty suggests.  
"I'll come with you," Jack agrees as he, my parents and my friends walk in. "We need to go back to the UK."  
"Then let's go," I say. "We can steal a car."  
"Rex and I need to stay here, CIA stuff," Esther says. She passes me a car key. We head out of the door.  
"Which one is it?"  
"Just bleep it." We run for the car- and I feel something penetrating my chest. Screeching in agony, I fall to the ground. I feel the Doctor and Mum bundle me into the car, my friends and family climbing in.

As dawn breaks over the Atlantic, I feel the darkness creeping up on me. Maybe this is how it feels to die…


	6. The Gathering and the Blood Line

TWO MONTHS LATER

"Day 61 of the Great Depression," the news reporter says. I sit up, watching the news report with Mummy "and the government has announced that all medical Overflow Camps-"  
"Concentration camps," I growl.  
"Oh, please be quiet," Sky says. "I'm trying to listen."  
"-will now stay open. Under the new emergency laws, Category 1 patients must be taken for disposal. Campaigners have called this institutional murder." Sky uses her powers to turn the radio off.  
"Things are going to go from bad to worse." Maria comes back from raiding the nearest pharmacy and sorting out painkillers and stuff. Mum pokes her head in.  
"You ready, Sarah?" Mummy nods, and they head upstairs.

The next day, oh, you will never believe who delivered the shopping. Only Oswald Flipping Danes. In our kitchen, too! Thank goodness I haven't shot him yet. He says he wants to see Jack as we found a haven for him as the group had to split up. Jack went with Clyde and Luke up north, while the rest of us stayed here. Worst of all, he held Mary. Sky and Lucy, the first two to notice, sprung into action. Sky dumped Mary with Maria, while Lucy threw a saucepan at Danes.

He's still here.

I'm writing this in my room, so I don't tear him to shreds. I don't even go downstairs when I hear that Jack is finally back- I'm too angry with Danes to be in the same room as him, but I have a video connection with Maria so I can hear what's going on. Sky knocks on my door before she, Jessie, Alistair and Mary come in.  
"Lucy's going to die again," Jessie says. "I thought I should tell you, so you can prepare yourself. She'll go to either Buenos Aires or Shanghai, so tonight will be your only chance to say goodbye."  
"Thanks for telling me," I say.  
"Also, they're trying to make Nana category 1. The government is trying to punish you, Emma. Nana has to change tonight."  
"Why are the government trying to make Mummy a category 1 to get at me?"  
"It's simple," Sky says. "They hate the fact that a kid is in control of most of the population, so, by hurting your family, the government hope that you will back down."  
"Well, we won't," I say as Luke and Mummy walk in. "We'll defend our family and friends until the death if it comes to that."  
"Thank you, Emma," Mummy pulls me into a hug. We listen in to the conversation going on downstairs.  
"Jilly Kitzinger is mistranslating something in Mandarin," Mum says. "We're asking Rex to help us with the translation, but we don't have anything yet," Rex says that the actual phrase that a man said after he burned down a hospital was 'The Blessing saved my life'- and it was in Shanghai. Also, it wasn't a hospital he burned down, but a blood bank. Why do that, unless…

"Could the Blessing have something to do with blood?" I suggest.  
"What do you mean?" Rex asks.  
"The world became immortal when Jack was mortal, so the blood in the blood banks would have been mortal."  
"I guess, but why is it important?"  
"Jack, I think the families were collecting your blood to give it to the Blessing, making the world immortal. Therefore, to stop their plan from failing, they might have blown up the blood banks so that no one could feed mortal blood into the Blessing."  
"That's brilliant, Smith-White! Honestly, how would the universe cope without her?"  
"It probably wouldn't," Maria says. "Trust me, Rex, we were there before."  
"But it was also in Buenos Aires, too," Sky says. "Maybe… hang on a minute."

The front door bursts open. I pull Mummy out of the way and open my wardrobe. Spotting the light red pulse, I grab my stomach, hiding it in the palm of my hand. "Emma, no," Luke says.  
"I might not have any other choice. I'm not letting the government make Mummy Cat 1, no way. If they even try, they're dead." I turn to the door, kicking it shut. They begin climbing the stairs to my room.  
"Emma Victoria Smith-White, let us in." I scoff.  
"As if! All you people ever do is to make the world a living hell for everyone else! Why don't you just bog off and go home before you end up on the menu?"  
"Is that a threat?"  
"If you open the door, there will be a bloodbath," Jessie warns. "Leave now, and we can guarantee you your lives. Open the door, and you will most certainly become Category 1 forever."  
"Kick the door down." I nod to Alistair, who raises his gun. I grip my stomach a little tighter. Sky blows the lights upstairs out as well as the torches. We can hear swearing coming from the other side of the door. We all begin giggling like schoolchildren. "We'll be back tomorrow." They storm out of the house. Sky turns the lights back on before we all start laughing again.

Lucy and Clyde go to Shanghai with Jack and Danes, while Esther, Rex, Rani, Luke and Maria go to Buenos Aires. My children, Mum and I are protecting Mummy at Foxgrove. I hope that everyone will be all right. "We can't take any more risks," Mum decides. "Emma, you have a house in Lightdale, right?"  
"Yes," I say. "I told Gita to put it on the market if we didn't arrive in six months. Only four months have passed, so we'll be safe there."  
"Right, let's move. We've got to make it look like we've left in a hurry. Only the necessities." For once, I don't argue with Mum. We pack the car, and I drive back to Lightdale.

"Hello," Gita says. "I hope you would come back."  
"We've got a problem, the government is trying to kill Mummy."  
"Is there anything I can do to help?"  
"I'll let you know if I think of something, but you can't tell anyone that we're here." Gita nods before running inside.

We head inside, and I open up the back windows, letting some air in before cleaning the place up a little. Mum takes Mummy upstairs so she can change her. I wish them both good luck before they disappear. Alistair walks into the sitting room, carrying Mary. "It almost feels like a lifetime ago we were here," he says. I nod, thinking about it. He puts Mary down. "Esther's shot, but a Child's Torchwood member is smuggling her away from the Blessing and treating her as fast as they can." I nod. "Jack and Rex will end the miracle, Mummy."  
"And Esther?"  
"Esther will live, as will Rex and Jack," Jessie says. "They'll all be fine."  
"Yes!" The three of us jump up and down while Mary gurgles with delight. At least, I think it is. A few moments later, Sky turns on the news.

"Death has returned to the world," the news reporter says. "What happened and what caused the miracle to end, we don't know. However, now that death has returned, we can start rebuilding the world."  
"So, there we go," I say. "Death's back, and the grim reaper has a lot of catching up to do." Sky nods.

Two weeks later

"Thank you for coming," I say to Martha.  
"I know I wasn't really friends with Lucy, but I thought you and your children might need the support." Everyone is gathered in the graveyard, waiting. I make my way over to the Family of Blood.  
"Thank you for coming."  
"Thank you for inviting us, Miss Smith-White," Banes says. "I know we never really saw eye-to-eye, but today is about Lucy. She would have wanted us to get along, at least today."  
"Yes, she would." As I talk to more people, including the Brigadier, Rex, Esther and so many that I can't mention, I spot the Doctor- all of their incarnations- walk into the graveyard. I excuse myself and run into my Doctor's arms. The black vehicle arrives with Lucy's coffin.

"The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended  
The darkness falls at thy behest  
To thee our mourning hymns ascended  
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest  
We thank thee that thy church unsleeping  
While Earth rolls onward into light  
Through all the world her watch is keeping  
And rest not now by day nor night."

Throughout the day, millions of people go online to offer their condolences, saying how brilliant Lucy was. As Luke reads them out as we leave the church, I take a deep breath. The universe still needs me. "Luckily, she got a full service, there are about ten funerals every hour now, makes up for the backlog," Jack says. I pick Mary up as we begin to near the road. I've already lost one daughter, and I promised Thomas Seymour that I wouldn't lose Mary. Luke has dropped out of university to help me out, even though I argued that I didn't need it.

But Lucy is gone. I turn back to the graveyard, where a new grave is. "Can you give me five?" I ask. The others nod and I pass Mary to Mum. I walk over to the grave. "Hey, Lucy. Here you are, back in Ealing. I won't be able to visit you often, but I'll think of you. I'll continue defending the Earth in your name." Flowers, photographs and teddy bears are surrounding the grave. I pull a frame out of my bag. Lucy's smiling face stares up at me, hopeful. I'm in the photograph, too. So is Jessie, Alistair, Sky and Mary- it was taken when we saved the Skullions before Mary left. I place it down on the dirt. "Bye, Lucy. Take care." Slowly, I turn away, tears spilling down my cheeks.

**Here lies  
LUCY CARTWRIGHT  
SISTER OF BLOOD  
LUCY SMITH-WHITE  
1913-2013  
MIRACLE DAY 2014  
MAY SHE ALWAYS PROTECT THE UNIVERSE AND WATCH OVER US**


	7. The True Catherine Parr

"Why did you wait until after the miracle?" I ask.  
"You were busy," the vampire hunter says. "We need your full attention if you want to understand what is going on and who Mary really is."  
"So, she's part alien?" He nods. "And how does this help the vampire hunters?" Jessie, Alistair and Sky are at school. Gita is looking after Mary for the afternoon while I talk with the leader of the vampire hunters.  
"Your daughter did good work, the last time we met, tricking us into telling you. She's intelligent."  
"You're not getting any of my children, especially not Mary Seymour."  
"We'll see about that," he turns and walks out of the park.

Maybe dropping out of school to look after my children was the best idea, as they need all of the protection they can get. Then again, the Doctor didn't agree with me when I told him the plan at Christmas. "I thought you wanted to be a doctor," he said.  
"Protecting my children is more important right now. I can become a doctor later." Now that I think about that conversation, I'm glad I decided to drop out- but it's only for this year. I'll be back in school by September- hopefully.

It's now February, two months after the miracle. Two months after Lucy died, and we're still going. I've given myself some time to grieve, and I feel ready to take on anything that the universe decides to throw at me. At least, I feel like this until Luke calls me. "Emma?" I can hear Luke trying to control his tears on the other end.  
"Luke, what's happened?"  
"It's Maria, she's disappeared."  
"Have you told Mr Jackson?"  
"Not yet, but she wouldn't run away or disappear like this unless an alien was after her, and I don't think it is."  
"Listen, I'll call back if she turns up here, okay?"  
"Okay." Luke hangs up. My mobile rings again- and it's Maria.

"Maria, are you okay?"  
"Help, Emma, help me!"  
"Maria, what's going on?"  
"We have your friend," a voice says. "If you want her to leave unharmed, come to us alone. I'm texting you the address. Don't wait too long, you don't want her life on your conscience." He ends the call, and as soon as I have the address, I run out of the house, locking up before I leave.

When I get to the warehouse in question, Maria is strapped to a chair. "Emma, thank goodness." I pull my penknife out and begin cutting the ropes.  
"Right, there we go. Can you stand?" Maria nods, and I help her to her feet.  
"It's a shame to cut up your little rescue here," it's the man from earlier, and he steps out from the shadows. "Really, Emma, I thought you would have seen me. However, I can't let Maria go free, not until you give us Mary Seymour." No, don't make me choose. Maria is one of my best friends, and my brother loves her. I can't let the vampire hunters take Maria.  
"Don't give him Mary," Maria says. "We don't even know why they want her yet."  
"You're right on that point, Maria." I turn back to the vampire hunter. "Why Mary? What is it about her, other than being the daughter of a Dowager Queen and a traitor? Spit it out." I grip my knife tightly.  
"Give us Mary."  
"Not until you tell us why you want her."

"Mary is a critical piece vital for the survival of the universe."  
"But surely if she's alive, that's enough?"  
"Give us Mary."  
"I won't give in to that demand until I know what you want with her."  
"In that case, I did warn you." Maria disappears from my side.  
"Maria? MARIA!"  
"I'd hate to be in your shoes, Miss Smith-White, forced to tell your brother and Mr Jackson that you didn't sacrifice Mary for Maria. Next time, I will take someone closer to you."  
"Please, don't." I stop crying. To get Maria back, I need to know what he's done to her. "What did you do to her?"  
"Each time you disobey me, I'll send one of your friends or family back in time. Currently, Maria is known as Maud Parr, serving Katherine of Aragon." Maud Parr- Catherine Parr's mother! If Maria gives birth to Catherine Parr, how much of history will that change? I'll ask the Doctor about this once I've figured all of this out. "Give us Mary Seymour or another of your allies will suffer." The vampire hunter disappears.

I punch a number into my new phone before calling it. "Hello? They've taken Maria."  
"Right, I'll try and get her back," a Scottish voice says. "Don't give Mary to them."  
"What am I meant to tell Alan and Luke about Maria? They're counting on me to save her!"  
"Tell them the truth and that we're working on a plan to get her back." I first call Luke, then Alan, explaining the situation and that the Doctor and I are working on a plan to get Maria back as soon as possible. Alan asks us to get Maria back and to show the vampire hunters who has more power, and I agree.

When I get back home, I collect Mary and tell Gita what happened and that Maria is missing. As a mother, this would concern Gita as we don't know who will disappear next as long as I have Mary. Maybe I should hand her over, but we don't know if the vampire hunters will give Maria back if I do, and what will happen to Mary? Unfortunately, I can't risk it yet.

Luke, Clyde and Rani come down when they heard what happened. My children are home from school. "We might not be able to keep up the fight if the vampire hunters can displace people in time," Clyde says, gently. "I'm sorry Emma. I know Thomas Seymour told you to protect Mary, but how long can this last?"  
"You're right, Clyde. I'll try and get an answer from them soon." I stand up, stretching when my phone buzzes.

It's a set of coordinates. "They want to meet me. I'd better go and try to get some answers."  
"Be careful," Rani says. I nod before grabbing my coat, heading for the door. When I get to the destination, I discover that they chose a clearing in the nearby woods, the place I usually go hunting when I'm in Lightdale. I was here only the other day, hunting a couple of rabbits. The vampire hunter I met with Maria is standing there.

"Miss Smith-White, welcome." The shadows in the trees begin moving, surrounding me- more vampire hunters. No, I won't panic. No, I won't kill them, at least, not yet. "Is Mary with you?"  
"Not at present. It's only me. Why is Mary so important to you?"  
"We've told you that she's critical to the survival of the universe. Now, if you won't give her to us, we'll take another of your friends." He clicks his fingers, and the other vampire hunters scatter. "Run along home, Smith-White, and consider my proposition carefully."

As I head back home, one of the vampire hunters from earlier corner me. "I'm going home, so you can leave me alone."  
"You will be home soon."  
"I know that I'm going in that direction. Don't annoy me, or you'll end up on the menu."  
"Don't dish out empty threats."  
"Oh, my threats aren't empty." I can feel my stomach moving in my pocket. "I mean them, so you'd better be careful."  
"You'd better be careful… that you don't die in childbirth."

Childbirth- Catherine Parr died of Childbed fever, so what does that mean for me?

When I wake up, someone is calling me 'Lady Latimer'. Oh. I'm Catherine Parr.


	8. Lady Latimer

It turns out I've arrived in between Catherine's marriages to Lord Latimer and King Henry VIII. Now, what should I do? If the King wants me to be his wife, I can't refuse him, but I'll have to tell him who I am. I meet the king's jester, Will Sommers. "Why, Lady Smith-White," he says upon recognising me. "What are you doing here at Court?"  
"It's a long story, Mr Sommers," I say. "I hope you won't mind that." He says that he'll want to hear it at some point, before re-entering the chamber he came from. Will quickly comes back, saying that the King wants to see me. He opens the door to the room.  
"Hal, here is the dove."  
"What say you?"  
"My Lady Smith-White, Your Majesty." I enter the room and curtsey to the King.  
"Emma, I didn't think I would see you again after the dissolution of your engagement to Princess Mary."  
"No, Your Majesty. I didn't expect it either."  
"Well, it's a pleasant surprise to see you. What's going on back on Earth?"  
"It's a long story, and quite- oh my! If I remember rightly, my friends were disappearing from time. I have to find them, Your Majesty."  
"Do you know where they are?"  
"No, Your Majesty. I have pictures of them." I find the pictures of my friends and family I brought with me, pointing each person out individually.  
"I recognise her. She was Catherine of Aragon's lady-in-waiting, Maud Parr."  
"That's Maria Jackson, yes."  
"She died in 1531, so, you sadly missed her."  
"Does that mean she's back in her own time, or-" I don't want to face what the other option is. Maria can't be dead. I promised to try and bring her back.  
"Although I did meet someone who looked a lot like her, she was talking about building a time machine or something like that."  
"Do you know where she is?" The King nods and leads me into the Queen's private chambers. "Maria wanted somewhere private to work, and this was the best place while I don't have a queen. Maria, this is-"

"Emma! I'm so glad you're here, I was all on my own." I hug Maria, thankful to see her. "Listen, I've compiled what I know about the vampire hunters into this book," she hands it to me. "If we can get it to everyone in the future, they might be able to help."  
"Vampire hunters?" The King asks, and we explain that they're after the toddler I adopted. "Why do they want Mary?"  
"I did more research, now that you've taken the place of my daughter- yes, I did give birth, I don't know how girls manage it- it looks like you'll be Mary's biological mother and die in 1548, one year after the King."  
"Maria-" I begin, but she cuts me off.  
"You'll be able to tell me what to do during that time. I'll gather any information you need, and-"  
"Yes, but now I'm here, who will protect Mary?" Maria stops speaking.  
"You're right. I didn't think of that."

"So, Lady Latimer, what should we do?" Henry asks.  
"I think Maria and I need to stick around a while, Your Majesty," I say, "unless we know what the Vampire Hunters are doing, we're not going to be much help."  
"I see. I guess you'll want to use these rooms, so we'll have to come up with something to explain why you two are in here." Sitting down, he tries to think of a solution. "No, that won't work. You probably won't agree with it."  
"What's your plan, Your Majesty?" Maria asks.  
"I thought that if one of you two were Queen, you could use these rooms as you please and no one would question it. Also, if any more of your friends come through, they too can use these rooms. But, neither of you two will want to marry me, you know what happens to my wives."  
"We know what happened to Catherine Parr," I say. "If I've taken her place, maybe I need to keep history the same as much as possible."  
"But you're engaged to the Doctor, and you're attracted to women! Maria, there must be some way to talk Emma out of this plan!"  
"Emma is very headstrong when she wants to be, you can rarely talk her out of a plan."  
"Bother. Well, we'll see if anyone else comes through before coming to a decision. How are you getting on, Maria?"

"I've not succeeded in time travel yet," Maria admits. "But I built a machine that detects when someone is coming through, it picked Emma up when she came through, the time she came through matches the machine. I'll keep working, but it might be some time before we pick anything up. I wish Luke were here."  
"Who's Luke?"  
"My twin," I explain. "He's into science, so he can help us with our problems." The machine begins whirring.  
"It was doing this when you arrived, Emma! Someone else must be coming through!" We look around the room, trying to find anything that seems out of place when we see a figure appear before us.

"Doctor?" I ask. It's my Doctor. I run into her arms.  
"Is this Emma's betrothed?" Henry asks Maria.  
"Yeah, we'll explain it later."  
"I love the outfit, Emma," the Doctor says.  
"It comes with the perks of being Lady Latimer. Anyway, what's going on?"  
"When you left, the others began taking up arms to fight the vampire hunters. Thanks for sending us the book, Maria. I know you haven't written it yet, but it turns out that Mary is our biological daughter."  
"Our daughter?" I ask. "Then why did they not go for Jessie, Alistair or Sky?"  
"They already have their powers, know who they are. Mary doesn't, so she's more vulnerable to persuasion, and can gain skills which will be nothing like the powers she's meant to have, so we worked out who they'll send back in time next, which is Luke. When he gets sent back, he'll have Mary with him-"  
"Meaning that the vampire hunters will have to bring us back to get her."  
"Or come back in time, yes. It's been three days since you disappeared, so your friends called me to Lightdale to figure out what happened."  
"I've missed you too." The Doctor kisses me, and I find myself kissing her back.

"Maria, that machine you made, it can send people forward in time too," the Doctor says.  
"Then let's use it and get you back home," Henry says.  
"There's one problem with that, it can only send one person home."  
"We should send you home, Doctor," I say. "The universe still needs you to protect it."  
"Emma's right," Maria agrees. "If you go back, it will benefit everyone."  
"Please, Doctor!" The Doctor nods before sonicing the device. "That stops the vampire hunters from sending any of your friends or family further back or forward, they will come here. You need to gather all of the information you can on them. The vampire hunters are at Court, and they need a queen to obey. I'm sorry, Emma, but you need to be that queen, keep as close to history as you can." The Doctor disappears.


	9. Queen of England

The real Catherine Parr has married the King but agreed that Maria and I should have our own private rooms so we can continue working on getting back home. I wonder how much she knows…

Anyway, getting home is proving to be harder than we thought. Maria's machine broke, but we fixed that within a few hours. "If Dad were here, he'd be able to help."  
"Well, Luke's coming next, so he might be able to."  
"So, Catherine Parr's Queen of England, so she's Mary's mother."  
"Yes, but who's the alien, Catherine Parr or Thomas Seymour?"  
"Good point. How can we work that out? Thomas Seymour is in Brussels, so we can't talk to him, and we've got no machine to help us."  
"That doesn't mean we can't make one with what we've got. It might not work very well, but-" Someone knocks on the door, and I go to answer it. "Your Majesty, it's an honour to see you," I curtsey to Queen Catherine. "Is there anything we can do for you?"  
"I was wondering if there's anything I can do for you." She comes in and finds a map of London. "Something landed just outside London, and I thought that it might contain something useful to you. I talked to the King, and he's sent soldiers there to collect everything and send it to you."  
"Thank you, Your Majesty."

When the soldiers arrive, Luke and Mary are with them. I explain to the Queen that Mary is her daughter in the future with Thomas Seymour and ask her to tell me if she's not human. "I thought someone would find me eventually," she says. "You're right about me being an alien, but I'm with the good guys. My planet is advanced technologically and socially, so it pains me to be here, but I got to meet you, and Maria, I think I can make a great difference here."  
"Who and what are you?"  
"I'm a Qetesh, and I'm called Ruby White."  
"What?"  
"What?" Maria asks, looking up. "Whoa, this means-"  
"Yeah. Oh, boy, Mum will be in trouble when we get back."  
"Emma, what are you talking about?"  
"Your Majesty, you will have to fake your death once you give birth to Mary, your first-born. After that, you have to stay on Earth, move to Foxgrove before 1951, it doesn't exist yet, but it will at some point. Look for Sarah Jane Smith and stay with her, the future depends on it."  
"Okay, I think I've got that. I guess you won't explain why, so I won't ask."  
"Thank you, Your Majesty."  
"I'll leave you to it." When the Queen leaves, I turn to my friends and brother.

"MARY IS OUR HALF-SISTER!"  
"Yeah, I just worked that out," Luke agrees. "That's going to be awkward for Christmas."  
"Too right. Now, we'd better get on." Maria takes Mary and sits down while Luke and I work. "So, is Mary our older or younger sister?"  
"No idea, we should ask Mum when we get back."

**July 1545**

"Your Majesties?" I curtsey to the King and Queen. "Our time here is over. We've got the machine working again and are ready to return to our own times. Thank you for having us."  
"Thank you for coming," Henry says. "Emma, I know we never saw eye to eye, but I would like to extend the honour of my friendship to you."  
"I feel honoured, Your Majesty, and it will be my honour to accept it." Henry nods.  
"Where are Maria and Luke?"  
"They've already left, but they wanted me to extend their gratitude."  
"Tell them good luck from us," the queen says- I still can't believe that she'll be my mother in the future.  
"I will, Yoru Majesty," I curtsey again.  
"You may leave, Emma," Henry says. I bow my head to them both before exiting the room.

Turning back one last time, I watch the Tudor room dissolve around me, and the modern-day filtering in. Mum and Mummy are the first two to see me arrive, and I notice a boy there. I don't recognise him. "Emma, this is Nathan, our adopted son," Mummy says.

Oh no, Jessie said that he and Mary won't get along. "Where's Mary?" I demand alert. I can't stay here, not if Mary's in danger.  
"She's fine, Emma," Mum tells me. "Maria told us about the situation, and we found out that Nathan is a vampire hunter, but he told us why they want Mary." I look at Nathan.  
"Why do you want her?"  
"The world is standing on the brink of disaster from the supernatural. There is a portal that supernatural beings hold open to allow the mystic passage to wreak havoc on us all. Mary is the key to closing that portal forever."  
"How?"  
"All she needs to do is reprogramme the portal so that the mystic can never enter. Then, we can seal off the area so no one can accidentally wander in."  
"What about Mary? What happens to her?"  
"You've done an excellent job with your dau- sister, Emma. However, Mary won't be able to return. We'll take care of her, don't worry about that. She'll know who she is." I think that Mary will be safer with me, but I spot Alistair in the doorway.  
"Jessie and I already checked, Mummy, as did K-9 and Mr White. Nathan is telling the truth."  
"Now will be the time for you to say your goodbyes. I'm sorry, Emma, but we have to do this now." I nod, slowly standing up.

"Now, Mary," I say when I hold her. "You need to be a good girl and to respect your elders, okay? But you must never forget who you are, who your mum is. Your mum is Ruby White, and she is one of the most incredible people in the universe." I hand her over to Mum, who is finally able to say goodbye to her first-born daughter before handing her over to the vampire hunters.

When Mary is gone, Nathan leaves too. "What year is it?" I ask.  
"July 2016," Mum says. "You, Maria and Luke were gone for two years, and we didn't know where you were until I remembered seeing you in 1543, so I was able to guess." She pulls Luke and me into a hug. "Luke, you're going back to university, like Maria, Sarah, Alan and I sorted that. Emma, if you don't mind, you and your children will be going to Coal Hill Academy. You will be in year 12-"  
"I'll finally be in the correct year! I can make friends my own age!"  
"You seem excited about that."  
"It will be nice to have friends my own age. What about Jessie, Alistair and Sky?" Mum turns to them, saying they'll be in year 7 so they have plenty of time before they have to do GCSEs.

"What A-levels do you want to do?" Mummy asks when we sit down at the kitchen table. I had wanted to be a doctor so I could help others, but Mum points out that I already do that on a galactic scale and that I might want to focus on something I enjoy.


	10. For Tonight We Might Die

For the first month, while I was at Coal Hill Academy, not much happened. I'm doing physics (even though I've done it before) as well as German, biology and chemistry. Again, I'm doing four A-levels, even though my parents advised me against it. They said that I need time to myself and taking four A-levels will be a challenge. However, I've done it before, but it was a struggle, and I was under a tremendous amount of pressure. I decided that by November, I will drop a subject so that I can focus more on the subjects I want to do. So far, I'm actually not focusing on any of my subjects, so I'll talk to the headmaster soon about changing my classes. He said that if any of us want to change, we need to do it before December, so we have Christmas to catch up with everyone else. The school doesn't have any high expectations of the sixth form, so Mr Armitage allows us to change our subjects up to December. But what subjects will I take instead?

Before school, I talk to Mum and Mummy since none of my subjects is working out for me. I don't know what to do next as Child's Torchwood is my life. I considered dropping out and doing Child's Torchwood full time, but I can't drop out of education. I've still got to obey the rules. "I'm getting Es in everything," I moan. "There's no way I can become a doctor."  
"Give it until the beginning of November," Mum says. "Things might change." I nod before grabbing my bag and heading off to school.

I'm wearing a t-shirt with the six wives of Henry VIII I got from Redbubble, partly to remember Anne of Cleves and Katheryn Howard, and also because it looked beautiful. I'm also wearing a pair of jeans and trainers and throw a denim jacket over the top. I say goodbye to my children as we part ways; them to history, maths and English and me to physics. "Things will get better," Jessie promises as we part. Knowing Jessie, she's telling the truth, so I head to physics.  
"Emma, are you coming to help decorate later?" April asks. She's in my physics class. "I need volunteers."  
"I don't think I can, April. Sorry."  
"It's okay," I can tell that it's not. We watch the new boy in our year, Charles, walk past. "I think I'm going to ask Charlie to the prom."  
"And you made us fail the Bechdel Test."  
"The what?"  
"The Bechdel Test is to see how long a couple or a group of girls can go on for before talking about boys. This conversation lasted about five seconds." April sniggers.  
"What are we like? Or, I guess in your case, what is every other girl like?" Yes, I did tell April I'm gay- at least, I think I am. The Doctor can change genders, so… am I bisexual? I don't know the right terms as I don't feel attracted to the Doctor when he's a male. Must be gay.  
"Prom's tomorrow, isn't it?" April nods. "You don't have a date yet?"  
"Not yet. You?"  
"No." I look down at my hand. "My fiancée keeps taken my engagement ring away, so I don't feel too attached to her."  
"She sounds weird. Prom could be the best time for you to find someone."  
"I don't know, I might not go."  
"If Charlie doesn't accept my proposal, we can go together, as friends, of course, not…"  
"No, we don't want people getting the wrong idea. Anyway, I need to get some stuff from my locker, so I'll join you soon."

I walk over to April after collecting my books, and we head into physics together after Charlie dumps her. Not even our physics teacher, Miss Quill, is helpful. Seriously, I might drop this subject by the end of the day.

I solve the equation in under a minute, and so don't have anything to do. I pull out a notebook that I keep to say why I should drop each of my subjects and what subjects I would want to take instead. Why can't the government allow us to study something interesting like how to travel in time and space, or how to combat aliens. Yeah, those are the sort of things I want to study. My fiancée can teach me. All I have to do is find a way to cheat the system. No, I have to remain in some sort of training.

At the end of the school day, I tell Jessie to let Mummy know that I'll be late back as I'm helping April decorate the hall for the Autumn prom. Jessie agrees before joining her siblings and heading home. I notice that April is talking to Charlie, and I overhear him say that he'll ask Matteusz as his date. "Oh, you're like Emma," April realises.  
"I don't know how I'm like her."  
"Everyone on Earth knows that she's-" April stops when she sees me. "Can I tell him?" I nod, smiling. "Well, everyone knows that Emma's gay. If you want any advice on anything like that, she usually knows something about it."  
"I'll keep that in mind." Charlie walks away.  
"Of course, he is. Of course."

We meet Mr Armitage, and he says I've got time to choose what subjects I'll like to do and it's great that I'm helping April out. He hands the key of the hall to April so she can lock up when we're done, and we get to work as Mr Armitage leaves to go to some kind of party. After some time, April begins screaming for help, a shadow is holding her down to the poster she was designing. I run over and pull her away. We stare up at our physics teacher, Miss Quill. "We're in terrible danger." April and I help each other up as Miss Quill continues talking. "You think you know what waits for you here. You think the same plan will work. But I am what waits for you. And I am war itself." She looks at us. "Run." The three of us take off down the corridor.

"I can't use the gun, but one of you two can," Miss Quill says. "Please." She hands the gun to April. "It's part of your shadow. Just shoot it! Shoot it now, or it will kill us all!" April is about to shoot it.  
"April! No!" Charlie runs into her, knocking them both to the ground. The shadow isn't dead but collapsed onto the floor. Miss Quill says that it's the King of the Shadow Kin and they can't kill it without killing April as 'Corikinus' and April share April's heart. She calls Charlie 'Your Highness', which really confuses April and me. He says that he hesitates from killing a friend, so he will not kill the Shadow Kin. When we're alone, we head back to the hall, and Miss Quill helps us while Charlie tells us about the planet he and our teacher came from. Then, Charlie says that only he and Miss Quill survived due to a figure from legend known as the Doctor. "What did they look like?"  
"He sounded Scottish, and grey hair and dressed a bit strange." I check my photographs before pointing at the second-to-last one.  
"This one?" Charlie nods. April begins screaming.  
"I can see them! I can hear his thoughts." April's breathing slows as she returns to us. "For a second, I was in his head."  
"He must have been in yours for a second," I say. "He'd know what you know."  
"He wants you," she looks at Charlie. "He wants something you have."  
"The gun?"  
"And he's coming for it tomorrow night. We're going to have to cancel prom!"  
"No, if we have the numbers, you'll be safer."  
"And it will be the best chance we'll have of getting your heart back," Charlie agrees.  
"My daughter, Jessie, can see the future, so she and Alistair might be of use here. Sky can influence electricity, so she can drive out the shadows."  
"What can Alistair do?"  
"He's a mind reader, it could be of some use to have them here. April, if you see anything else, you should tell us straight away. Do you have your mobile on you?" April hands it to me, and I put my number in her contacts. "There, now you've got my number. Call me if you need anything."  
"Thanks, I'm glad you said that otherwise, I would have kept it to myself."

The next morning, April tells us to be careful of our shadows at Prom. Ram and Tanya share a look, and I ask them what they've seen. Tanya says that a shadow attacked her. During break, I catch up with Jessie, Alistair and Sky, asking if they'll come to prom with me. "It's for year 12s," Sky says.  
"There's an alien threat, isn't there?" Jessie asks. Alistair nods. "We'll be there."

That evening, I'm helping them get ready when Mum runs into the room. "Mum, have you ever heard of knocking?"  
"You can't go to the prom, Mr White picked up on alien energies at the school. We talked to the headmaster, and we're moving back to Ealing, so you'll return to Park Vale Comprehensive."  
"What?" I ask. "You can't do this without telling us!"  
"I can't explain, but you can't go there anymore. We are moving soon."  
"Where to?"  
"We're going back to Bannerman Road."  
"Can I at least tell my friends I'm going?" Mum shakes her head, saying that I can't return to the school due to the alien energies Mr White discovered.

Slowly, we begin packing everything up, saying goodbye to residents, friends. We're all going back to Bannerman Road.


	11. Return to Farrington

When we move back into thirteen Bannerman Road, Kate helps us reboot Mr Smith, so we have three AIs (two- K9 is with Luke at the moment). But that's not the only problem we have now Mary is gone. One morning when Jessie, Alistair and Sky are getting ready for school, I collect the post, and there is a letter for me. I hand the post to Mummy, so she can sort it out, and I open my message.

_Dear Miss Smith-White, _

_I am Jeremy Baines (yes, the same one you met in 1913) and I wondered if I could help you. The Doctor, your fiancé, imprisoned me in a scarecrow in Farrington, which is still standing. I know my parents will never be free again after Lucy's funeral-_

I have to take a break. Lucy's absence still hurts me a lot. I didn't have the chance to get to know Mary, but Lucy? She sacrificed herself- twice- to save the human race. I continue reading the letter.

_I know it hurts, but I want you to return to Farrington. I'm in the same field the Doctor imprisoned me on. I know how to contact Lucy, and, more importantly, how to help you. Release me from the scarecrow, and we can work together. _

_Jeremy Baines._

"I don't think so," I say, tearing the paper apart, chucking it in the recycling.  
"What was that about?" Sky asks.  
"Spam. Come on, you three need to get to school."

That afternoon, another letter from Baines arrives.

_I know what you're thinking, Emma. You believe that you can't trust me. I know how to get to Lucy reunited with you. Come to Farrington and release me.  
Don't wait too long. _

_Baines_

I pack a bag, telling Mum and Mummy that I've got a job to do in the Highlands before going to Farrington and booking myself into a hotel there.

In the morning, I explore the village, trying to find the field Baines talked about in his original message. I find it after some exploring, and use my scanner to make sure I have the right scarecrow. Since I do, I remove its mask. Yes, Baines' face is there, grinning at me. I shiver a little despite the September warmth. Using my scanner, I unlock Baines, so he's no longer suspended in time.  
"Thank god you came! I was getting bored out of my mind."  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You said you know how to reunite me with my daughter."  
"Yes, this way." Baines takes me to his spaceship, which he rebuilt mentally while he was a scarecrow. "I'm sorry that it's not comfortable, but it's the best I could do."  
"So, where's Lucy?"  
"About that… I lied."  
"What?"  
"I needed you here to get my family out, which does include Lucy, but not the Lucy you're thinking about."  
"I'm not releasing your family, I never will!" I grab my gun, "stay back, or I'll shoot!"  
"No, you won't." Baines grabs my wrist. "You're weak."  
"You want to bet?" I bite his arm so hard that I taste blood. It's been some time since I last hunted, but I stop. "Do you really want to die?" I hold my gun to his head. "I can shoot you, you know? I wouldn't hesitate, either." Baines aims his gun at me.  
"Let her go, Baines, or I will blast you into atoms," Baines smirks at the new voice. I stop in surprise. How can she be here? "I mean it, put down your gun and surrender."  
"The family of Blood will never surrender."  
"You're funny."  
"That's right," Baines turns in the direction of the voice. I almost stop breathing. No, that's impossible…  
"So funny." Baines screams as his 'sister' blasts him into atoms. "You can out down your gun, Mummy. You're safe." I put my gun back.

"Lucy?" Lucy runs into my arms.  
"Right," the Doctor says, smiling. "I'm going to sort out this spaceship, then get you two home." I nod before I walk outside with Lucy. Alarms begin blaring as the Doctor runs out of the ship, her coat trailing behind her. "We have to move!" We continue running until the ship explodes. Soon, we stop to catch our breaths.  
"Lucy, how did you get here?"  
"That's partly my fault," the Doctor says. "She was still alive, but no one knew. She experienced the backlash when at the Blessing."  
"So you never died?" Lucy nods, confirming my explanation.

"There's something else," the Doctor adds. "You need to be ready for December 2017. My second-to-last regeneration will come and pick you up, okay?" I nod, confirming it. Second-to-last? I'm excited to learn what will happen while I'm next with the Doctor. But first, I have to go back to school. I hope the school trip goes well.

As I get ready for school, Jessie tells me of the girls I'll have in my class. Why does she bother? She knows that I love no one but the Doctor, I've told her that plenty of times. "There are two Catherines, two Annes and a Jane in that class, although they are five of the six wives of Henry VIII, so why they're at school I don't know." I check my timetable.

This time, I'm going with art, alien diplomacy 101 (a new a-level), and music. The Doctor noticed that I was good at music and had a powerful voice, so she suggested that I do music. So far, I hate music and art, so I'll drop them both by the end of the month. "The Catherines, Annes, and Jane will be in your music and art. Anne of Cleves is in history, as is Katheryn Howard. Anne Boleyn in French, Jane Seymour in textiles, and Catherine of Aragon in Spanish."  
"Wait, Katheryn Howard? Henry VIII's fifth wife?"  
"I did say that, yes. You do remember that the Doctor has your engagement ring until you meet them in December 2017?"  
"Why do they keep on doing that?" I moan.  
"Ask Alistair, he's the mind reader." Alistair is standing in the doorway as Jessie speaks.

"They want you to decide for yourself what you want, the Doctor doesn't want to interfere with that. Whether you choose the Doctor, or someone else, we will stand by your side. We won't hate you, but we'll want to understand, help you make the decision." I pull them into a hug before we join Sky and Lucy, heading off to school together.

Jessie and Alistair spoke about the decision with Sky and Lucy. As I'm their main carer since the Doctor is rarely around, they agreed that I should have a chance at happiness. They even spoke to the Doctor about it, and he agreed (apparently it was their second-to-last regeneration they met) and took my engagement ring. I'm sad that I won't see it, but I understand why the Doctor thinks like he does. He doesn't want me to let him down.

Before I enter the school ground, I can see the sunlight shimmering around me. "What's happening?!" Sky wails as five girls run over to us- I recognise Anne of Cleves and Katheryn Howard from the group.  
"Emma, no!" Katheryn tries to grab my hand, but it goes through hers. "Please, don't go."  
"I'll find my way back, I promise." I'm promising my kids, not her. "All of you look out for my kids, yeah?"

I can hear something in Latin, I recognise it from Princess Mary taught me. Looking down, I realise I'm wearing a Tudor gown. I've done it again. "I do plight thee my trough," a male voice says. Looking up, I almost faint.

I'm marrying Henry VIII.

"Catherine? Lady Latimer?" Can I scream? I want to scream. I can't be here. I was already here. It's my mum that marries Henry, unless…

No, that can't be true. Catherine Parr said she was Ruby White, so why am I marrying the King?

Can someone wake me up? Please, get me out of this nightmare. I WANT TO MARRY THE DOCTOR!


	12. Escape

It's the 11th July 1543, one day before Henry VIII is meant to marry Catherine Parr. I have to make him wait one more day, but how can I do that? I look at the wall behind the King. "What's that?" I ask, pointing. Everyone turns to look. I take off down the aisle. Heck, no way am I marrying the King!

When I can see the astronomical clock, I stop in the courtyard below it, screaming. How had the universe come to this?

I know what I want when I stop screaming. I knew it all along, but I wasn't strong enough to say it. I thought it would have been selfish to say it, but it never was. Now, how to contact them…? I find that I have pockets, something women aren't meant to have for a few centuries, and in it, I see a ring. What?

It's my engagement ring! Smiling, I'm about to place it on my finger when a hand stops me. The King has found me. "Why did you run, Kate?"  
"My name isn't Kate. I'm not Catherine Parr." The King looks taken aback. "Do I look like anyone else you recognise?"  
"Emma?" I nod. "You're Emma Smith-White?" I nod again. Henry splutters. "How?"  
"Time travel, it's complicated. I don't know how it happened this time. Your Majesty, you're one day away from marrying Catherine Parr. I know I was Catherine Parr before, but it's complicated. I'm already here, and I can't risk coming into contact with myself."  
"You can if you use another name. But will your betrothed come here? Does she know you're here?"  
"No."  
"Listen, I'll protect you for as long as I can, but there are vampire hunters here, you said."  
"I gave Mary to them."  
"WHAT?! But the Doctor told you not to!"  
"I had no choice! If I didn't, my actions would have endangered the future!" I think I can hear the TARDIS. "I have to go, Your Majesty." I curtsey. Henry nods, turning away from me. I run outside the palace and spot the TARDIS.

Gasping for breath, I stumble forward. The big blue door opens, and an old man steps out. The Doctor's first incarnation. "Oh, my! Young lady, are you all right?" I'm struggling to breathe, so I can't form the words. He checks my heartbeat. "You better come inside. What's your name?"  
"Em… Em…"  
"Your corset is too tight, we'll unlace it a little when we get inside so you can breathe." He helps me inside the TARDIS.

Mum and Mummy showed me a photograph of this interior. It's white, with strange round things on the walls. The Doctor was always obsessed about them. At least I still remember that. "Good grief!" A new voice says- the second incarnation. I recognise this one! I met him at Torchwood along with the fifth, seventh, and thirteenth! "Emma, are you all right?"  
"Of course she isn't alright, she can't breathe!" The seventh Doctor says. "Seriously, if we get her in some normal clothes Emma will be fine." They loosen my dress a bit, and I can finally breathe again. "Oh, no."  
"What is it?" The fourth incarnation asks, offering me a jelly baby.  
"Thanks," I grin. "Go on, what's the matter?"  
"Your stomach's coming out, fast," the seventh doctor says. "Three, Five, keep a watch on what's going on outside, make sure no one can come in. We can't take off yet. Four, Eight, go to the kitchen and prepare something for Emma. Two, go to the wardrobe, tell nine and twelve that Emma is here and she needs some clothes as the ones she's wearing is unsuitable. One, Eleven, take Emma to Thirteen. They need to be together right now."  
"Isn't there another incarnation?" I whisper.  
"Yes, but he's busy. However, the rest of us are here for you." One and Eleven help me up as everyone else goes about their business.

"What did you get yourself into this time, Emma?" Eleven asks.  
"Nearly got married to Henry VIII, but escaped."  
"What else?"  
"Not much else. I was going to school and drop music and art- I hate them now! Seriously, Thirteen suggested it!"  
"I was saying you could do music as a hobby, not an a-level," Thirteen says, emerging from the bedroom. "Hey, come here," she pulls me into a hug. "We can cope from here." One nods, saying that he's probably needed elsewhere. Eleven stays with us when we enter the room.

"What's going to happen now?" I ask. "Doctor, what's going to happen to us?" Eleven leaves the room.  
"This only confirms what I previously thought, that we need each other, it's a necessity, not just love."  
"In what way is it a necessity?" I cock my head, confused. "Love can't be a necessity. Can it?"  
"I'd better use an example so I can explain it to you." The Doctor thinks for a moment before smiling. "The love your parents have is out of necessity. If Ruby weren't in love with Sarah Jane, she'd still be killing people, you and Luke wouldn't be here, and she'd still think of human life as worthless. Sarah helped her to see differently, and she's helping to protect the Earth." I nod, thinking about it.  
"No, I don't get it."  
"Um… Qetesh can have a connection of true love between them and another being. Usually, this is another Qetesh, but it can be anything. When your mum met Sarah Jane, she was able to control her hunger, but she still saw humans as food. When she helped Sarah throughout her life, she saw that her views of the human race were wrong."  
"Then why did she save the human race? Mum told me she opposed the Qetesh to save the human race."

"She told you that story, did she? The Qetesh she actually fought was herself. She was tempted by the number of people dying in that period she could kill, and almost went overboard to kill those who were well. She controlled herself and did so until she helped Barbara give birth to Sarah in 1951. As Sarah grew up, Ruby found that her views on humans were changing. That story she gave you, while she was opposing the Qetesh, she was fighting her own nature, which is a courageous thing for her to do."

After a couple of hours, the tenth Doctor returns to scan me. "Your stomach will come out in about a couple of years," he warns me. "But, you'll be able to control your hunger better."  
"Thank goodness."  
"Home?" I nod, weakly. He and Thirteen help me up and into the console room, where three is putting the coordinates in so I can go home.

When I get back, school is over. "Where were you today?" Mummy asks. I explain what happened, and she is soon on the phone to the headmaster, telling him why I wasn't in school. When she's off the phone, Jessie and the others run in. "What's going on?"  
"Have you seen the news?" Jessie asks me.  
"I've only just got back." Jessie turns the news on.

"Today, the Human Party put forward Article 0 to parliament. The law, if it is implemented, will force aliens and alien hybrids to leave the UK."  
"NO!" I scream. "They can't do this! They can't!"  
"They can," Alistair says. "Unless you stop them, they will."  
"Jessie, what do I need to do?"  
"I don't know, I can't see!"  
"Someone must be playing with your blind spots, but why? Why do this now?"

Clyde arrives with a note for me. "Someone gave it to me, wanting it to get to you fast." I open the letter.

_Do not fight back against Article 0. The Qetesh from the old generation is backing them. Do not fight them, leave with all of the hybrids on Earth, and never return. The universe needs you.  
Your benefactor_

"They have got to be kidding, of course, I will fight back! What else would they expect?!"  
"It could be a forgery," Clyde suggests. "Only Mr Smith will know."  
"That's it! Mr Smith might be able to track the letter."  
"Don't get your hopes up, Emma. He might not be able to." I head up to Mr Smith, giving him the letter. He says that if he can track it, he'll give me the results.


	13. To War Or Not To War

Now that my benefactor is asking me to leave with the other hybrids, I have to decide what to do. First, I have questions. What is Article 0? Why does the Human Party want to implement it? Would it affect other countries or just the UK? To answer these questions, I take to the internet, searching for clues.

**Is Article 0 going to end Earth as we know it?  
The Human Party and alien hybrids- what they say  
Outrage at law to ban alien hybrids  
Parliament to vote in two weeks about Article 0**

I open all of them and start reading the articles. The following website stuns me into silence. _'Should humans and aliens be allowed to procreate?'_ In it, the article details that aliens are living on Earth- no surprise there, and that they are creating alien-human hybrids. _'All alien-human hybrids are abominations,'_ the article says. _'Article 0 will not only see an end to humans being allowed to procreate with aliens in the UK, but it will also bring back the death penalty for such hybrids and their parents.'_ So that's what Article 0 is.

I know what I have to do. If the UK falls prey to Article 0, what other countries will follow? I now have to protect those that Article 0 affects. But what is the right answer? How can I combat such a threat if my benefactor might not provide for Child's Torchwood if I fight? Maybe I have to get in touch with them.

"Mummy?" Alistair asks. I turn to find him in the doorway. "It's worse than sending hybrids away, isn't it?"  
"It looks like it, yes." How can I lie to my son? He'll find out eventually. "What are we going to do?"  
"You always fight back against the government when they do things you don't agree with. You did this with the 456, right? This is worse, and I believe that if you fight them, you can win."  
"And if I don't? Alistair, they're bringing the death penalty back for human-alien hybrids. Not only will we get killed, but so will many innocent people, including Mum and Mummy! How can I wish that upon them?"  
"Go to Parliament, convince them that they're doing the wrong thing, visit the Prime Minister, whatever it takes. We've got through worse before, we can do it again!" I hug Alistair, thankful that I have a son like him.

The next day, instead of going to school, I'm at the Houses of Parliament, debating why I think that Article 0 is wrong. I'm part of discussions now thanks to the Prime Minister. At least Jemima Rivers is sympathetic to my cause. The Human Party is stirring up trouble, trying to condemn my actions, arming children, siding with terrorists, breaking the law, whatever they can think of to get me convicted of some sort of crime so I can't influence the government. I argue that I'm siding with the children, no one else. We do not support terrorists.

"Emma Smith-White is the leader of Child's Torchwood, and above us all," Jemima Rivers says when she speaks. "However, she already said that she respects the law and will uphold it within Child's Torchwood, despite arming children and breaking the age of consent. Other than that, she has respected the law and will continue to do so. Why should we tear a country apart to destroy a few people when they, by right, live here and make Earth their home? This is wrong. Article 0 is murder like Miracle Day was. We are past that now. We will not repeat what Miracle Day forced us to do and condemn innocent people to death. "

After that day in Parliament, I return home and explain to the headmaster why I again wasn't in school. He agrees that for something as crucial as Article 0, I will be allowed to take time off school as long as I'm going to Parliament to argue the case for human-alien hybrids. I'm not called back to Parliament, so I continue going to school, studying Alien Diplomacy 101 and dropping my other two subjects.

On the day of the vote, I say on the BBC news website, waiting to see what the politicians say. After the speech I make the previous week, I hope they take my views into account.  
"Article 0, Ayes, 50, Noes 220. Ayes, 50, Noes, 220. The Noes have it, the Noes have it." Yes! Article 0 will not become law. There is no need to fight yet.

Unless…

Jessie runs in. "The Human Party will try again, but amend Article 0."  
"How? How will Article 0 change?"  
"It will illegalise marriage between a human and an alien, but not civil unions. It will also get rid of hybrids altogether by saying that they can't be conceived in the UK. No, sorry, it will include civil unions."  
"What about hybrids that already exist?"  
"They've not said anything about it. However, it looks like if Article 0 becomes law in the future, they will try and assassinate you. We'll all have to leave the planet- for good."  
"When?"  
"We'll have to leave before the end of January 2019."


End file.
